Dirty Floors, Cockroaches & Food Storage Lapses! Indore Food Safety Drive Flags Unhygienic 'Prasad', 31 Samples Collected

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Food Safety Administration collected around 31 samples during a two-day inspection drive at prominent hotels, restaurants and 'prasad' outlets across the city, finding lapses in hygiene, food storage and mandatory records.

Inspections covered Infinity Hotel, Fairfield by Marriott, Shrimaya Hotel, Shri Guru Kripa Restaurant, The Red Maple-Hotel Mashal, Chef Bhupi's Kitchen, Punjabi Dhaba, Guru Kripa Hotel and outlets at Shri Khajrana Ganesh Temple.

At Infinity Hotel, four samples, including paneer and spices, were collected. Inspectors found refrigerators without temperature-monitoring devices, missing calibration records and non-compliance with the FIFO storage system.

At Shrimaya Hotel, four samples were collected. While kitchen hygiene and storage were satisfactory, the water testing report lacked mandatory tests for pesticide residue and heavy metals.

At Fairfield by Marriott, three samples were collected. Inspectors found vegetarian and non-vegetarian food stored together, open dustbins, improper waste segregation, cockroaches in the storeroom and uncovered ready-to-eat food.

At Ekdant Prasad Bhandar in the Khajrana Ganesh Temple premises, officials found 'laddoo' being prepared amid dirty floors and improper storage, while no food licence was displayed.

At Bhalchandra Prasad Bhandar, officials found dirty floors, improper storage and workers entering the preparation area in slippers.

Officials inspected around eight to 10 'prasad' counters and collected samples of 'motichoor laddoo', 'besan laddoo' and 'modak'.

During Sunday's inspections, officials also found missing medical fitness and water testing reports, poor storage, unhygienic kitchens, expired drinks and improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food at establishments inspected that day.

All samples will be sent to the State Food Testing Laboratory, Bhopal. Notices and improvement directions are being issued, while legal action will be taken based on test reports.